This important Chinese holiday celebrates the beginning of a New Year according to the lunar calendar. It starts on a New Moon and ends with the lantern festival on the full moon about 15 days later. Although in some areas the lantern festival is on a weekend for convenience. Celebrations can last up to a month with big family gatherings, gift giving, the eating of symbolic foods and displays of festive decorations–all focused on bringing good luck for the new year and celebrating the coming of Spring.

-Chinese New Year’s Celebration at the University of Rhode Island
Date: Sunday, Feb.1, 2009
Time: 2:00 — 3:30 pm. Doors open at 1:30 pm.
Programs in Chinese and English are organized and sponsored by the Confucius Institute.
Location: Edwards Auditorium, URI, 64 Upper College Road, Kingston Campus
Cost: Free and open to the public. A donation of $5 per adult is encouraged to support the Institute.

– RIACA (RI Association of Chinese Americans) Chinese New Year’s Celebration 2009
Date: Saturday, February 7, 2009
Time: 10:30 am to 3 pm
A dazzling performance of music, dance, and martial arts by the award-winning Art Troupe of the High School Affiliated with Renmin University of Beijing, China (above), will provide the grand finale at Bryant University’s Chinese New Year Celebration
Location: Bryant University Multipurpose Activity Center, 1150 Douglas Pike, Smithfield, RI
Cost: Admission is free and open to the public. Lunch is available for $7.

Anisa Raoof is the publisher of Kidoinfo.com. She combines being a mom with her experience as an artist, designer, psych researcher and former co-director of the Providence Craft Show to create the go-to spot for families in Rhode Island and beyond. She loves using social media to connect parents with family-related businesses and services and promoting ways for parents to engage offline with their kids.
Anisa believes in the power of working together and loves to find ways to collaborate with others. An online enthusiast, still likes to unplug often by reading books and magazines, drawing, learning to knit, making pop-up books with her two sons and listening to records with her husband.